1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positioning device for positioning a magnetic head in a magnetic recording/reading device, such as a magnetic tape drive.
2. Description of Related Art
Several devices for moving and positioning magnetic recording or reading heads with respect to a recording medium, such as a magnetic recording tape, are known in the art. The purpose of such devices is to recording medium. During a recording or a reading operation, relative motion between the head and the recording medium is produced in order to cause a data track provided on the recording medium to pass adjacent the head. As relative motion is produced between the head and the recording medium, perpendicular motions or fluttering of the recording medium with respect to the head can cause a misalignment of the head and the data e track on the recording medium. In order to reduce the occurrence of such misalignments, several known recording and reading devices include head positioning systems which operate continuously, or periodically, to reposition the recording or reading head with respect to the recording medium so as to properly align the head with the data track on the recording medium.
Known recording head positioning systems may operate with a sensing system which senses a condition of misalignment between the head and the data track on the recording medium and a drive motor which is operably connected with the recording or reading head for driving the head in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction. An example of a known head positioning system is called the "carriage and way" system. According to the "carriage and way" system, two pins or shafts are arranged adjacent the recording or reading head. A lead screw stepper motor assembly is operably connected to the recording or reading head for moving the head in a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction. One of the two pins or shafts operates as a guiding pin for guiding the recording or reading head during movement of such in the first or second direction. The second of the two pins or shafts operates as an anti-rotation barrier for inhibiting rotational movement of the recording or reading head during movement in the first or second direction. In other known systems, the stepper lead screw is used as the anti-rotation barrier.
Such prior head positioning systems, however, exhibit several disadvantages. For example, many such systems are notorious for jamming the positioner. This jamming is primarily due to the relatively large distance provided between the guide pin and the stepper lead screw. Also, these prior systems often require many parts and therefore can be extremely labor intensive to assemble.